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Post by joefrombow on Sept 10, 2021 16:57:20 GMT
We should have all seen about the HGV Driver shortages currently affecting the whole country , but it seems there is also a Bus Driver shortage outside of London and it's pretty major almost emergency like according to some operators. In Essex , Hedingham (Go Ahead) and First Essex are cutting a significant number of a journeys if you check both company's Twitter accounts , Hedingham suspending whole services which can be very problematic if you love in the sticks are older , frail etc( Though I think in First's case it's just an excuse , but does make you realise how lucky we are here in London even with Tfl and the "every journey matters" mantra ) But my question is how do we solve the shortage ? Do we change the way licensing is done and just have a interchangeable "Large Vehicle Licence" meaning that if you can drive a Class 2 HGV you can now drive a Bus and vice versa ? Have more Apprenticeships schemes or free training for unemployed folk ? Recruit from abroad like the post war days or from Europe ? My question is what would you do if you were in charge and how would you solve it not just on the buses but also for the lorries ? And is this happening in London but not been so bad ? mobile.twitter.com/hedinghambuses?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthorwww.hedinghamandchambers.co.uk/announcement-service-suspensionmobile.twitter.com/FirstEssex?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
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Post by greenboy on Sept 10, 2021 17:06:09 GMT
There are similar driver shortages throughout Europe and possibly the world, largely caused by the pandemic. People leaving the industry and no new recruits coming in to replace them. I would imagine the situation will resolve itself eventually but I'm not sure what can be done in the short term?
**Car and trailer tests are being discontinued to allow more lorry tests......
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Post by joefrombow on Sept 10, 2021 21:29:46 GMT
There are similar driver shortages throughout Europe and possibly the world, largely caused by the pandemic. People leaving the industry and no new recruits coming in to replace them. I would imagine the situation will resolve itself eventually but I'm not sure what can be done in the short term? **Car and trailer tests are being discontinued to allow more lorry tests...... That's a start I suppose though I see people complaining who have paid and had previous training and also people worried about the safety element but I suppose the same danger is there for people with grandfather rights who have had no training maybe they could extend the grandfather rights to allow people who passed after 1997 to have C1 and D1 licences seeing as now every professional driver has to sit the driver CPC .
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Post by greenboy on Sept 11, 2021 7:25:45 GMT
A few other changes are being made to the lorry test and hopefully the pointless driver CPC will be abolished.....
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 11, 2021 17:26:52 GMT
Bus driver shortages are hitting hard in the South West. In Devon, Plymouth CityBus has just announced a number of "planned cancellations" which took effect from Thursday (9th September). Stagecoach South West is reported to have lost around 150 staff across its depots, with services in Plymouth and Exeter being particularly badly hit.
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Post by N230UD on Sept 11, 2021 22:05:40 GMT
It’s going to be interesting how bus operators are going to cope with the universities back - many universities starting their term on Monday.
In Canterbury, Kent for example, the Uni1 goes from half-hourly to every 10 mins, and the term-only Uni2 starts operating half-hourly, including a night service. Stagecoach are already short staffed, with the Uni1 suspended on many days. This is on top of the increased pressures with schools back the previous week.
It doesn’t seem good for bus operators at the moment - decreased passenger numbers due to Covid, increased congestion, and then the driver shortages leading to more unreliability, itself leading to people giving up using buses in the long term.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 11, 2021 23:39:10 GMT
It’s going to be interesting how bus operators are going to cope with the universities back - many universities starting their term on Monday. In Canterbury, Kent for example, the Uni1 goes from half-hourly to every 10 mins, and the term-only Uni2 starts operating half-hourly, including a night service. Stagecoach are already short staffed, with the Uni1 suspended on many days. This is on top of the increased pressures with schools back the previous week. It doesn’t seem good for bus operators at the moment - decreased passenger numbers due to Covid, increased congestion, and then the driver shortages leading to more unreliability, itself leading to people giving up using buses in the long term. The driver shortages was always there. It has been made worse of recent by covid and drivers isolating. The pingdemic we had a few months ago made it worse. Also summer time generally has shortages as many drivers tries to get July/August of which is always in high demand, some that cannot get it, then call in sick or otherwise.
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Post by N230UD on Sept 12, 2021 9:14:07 GMT
It’s going to be interesting how bus operators are going to cope with the universities back - many universities starting their term on Monday. In Canterbury, Kent for example, the Uni1 goes from half-hourly to every 10 mins, and the term-only Uni2 starts operating half-hourly, including a night service. Stagecoach are already short staffed, with the Uni1 suspended on many days. This is on top of the increased pressures with schools back the previous week. It doesn’t seem good for bus operators at the moment - decreased passenger numbers due to Covid, increased congestion, and then the driver shortages leading to more unreliability, itself leading to people giving up using buses in the long term. The driver shortages was always there. It has been made worse of recent by covid and drivers isolating. The pingdemic we had a few months ago made it worse. Also summer time generally has shortages as many drivers tries to get July/August of which is always in high demand, some that cannot get it, then call in sick or otherwise. Indeed you’re right. In addition to the issues you mention here, there have also been big delays recently to the authorities processing documents - Stagecoach South East have lots of new drivers just waiting to start but can’t due to these delays. They have also stated that many drivers have left for new opportunities. This has been mentioned on their Twitter over the last few weeks.
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Post by greenboy on Sept 12, 2021 9:49:30 GMT
It’s going to be interesting how bus operators are going to cope with the universities back - many universities starting their term on Monday. In Canterbury, Kent for example, the Uni1 goes from half-hourly to every 10 mins, and the term-only Uni2 starts operating half-hourly, including a night service. Stagecoach are already short staffed, with the Uni1 suspended on many days. This is on top of the increased pressures with schools back the previous week. It doesn’t seem good for bus operators at the moment - decreased passenger numbers due to Covid, increased congestion, and then the driver shortages leading to more unreliability, itself leading to people giving up using buses in the long term. The driver shortages was always there. It has been made worse of recent by covid and drivers isolating. The pingdemic we had a few months ago made it worse. Also summer time generally has shortages as many drivers tries to get July/August of which is always in high demand, some that cannot get it, then call in sick or otherwise. Absolutely, there has been a driver shortage to varying degrees going back years and the pandemic really has brought it to a head, on top of everything else the demand for drivers caused by online shopping and home deliveries.
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Post by joefrombow on Sept 15, 2021 9:48:16 GMT
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Post by N230UD on Sept 21, 2021 21:32:42 GMT
Down in Canterbury, the Saturday 18th was very busy with students returning. The Uni1 was suspended, meaning the Triangle route was taking the strain. It’s the first time in a while I’ve seen an empty bus arrive in the bus station, to then become fully loaded leaving people behind!
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Post by joefrombow on Sept 24, 2021 13:48:57 GMT
Not Bus related but now after the great Pasta and Flour and let's definitely not forget the Toilet Roll shortage of 2020 the same people are panic buying fuel 😂 you literally couldn't make it up , whatever the media seems to tell people they go and make it worst ,yes there is a tanker driver shortage but surely this would of been an ongoing problem ? , There needs to be a condom shortage and maybe the same people will panic buy and use those and stop this madness continuing down the generations . In all seriousness something has got to give this can't continue just makes you realise how important and undervalued drivers in all profession's have been up until now . www.theguardian.com/business/2021/sep/23/bp-rations-petrol-and-diesel-deliveries-to-its-service-stations?CMP=Sh
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Post by greenboy on Sept 24, 2021 13:59:38 GMT
Not Bus related but now after the great Pasta and Flour and let's definitely not forget the Toilet Roll shortage of 2020 the same people are panic buying fuel 😂 you literally couldn't make it up , whatever the media seems to tell people they go and make it worst ,yes there is a tanker driver shortage but surely this would of been an ongoing problem ? , There needs to be a condom shortage and maybe the same people will panic buy and use those and stop this madness continuing down the generations . In all seriousness something has got to give this can't continue just makes you realise how important and undervalued drivers in all profession's have been up until now . www.theguardian.com/business/2021/sep/23/bp-rations-petrol-and-diesel-deliveries-to-its-service-stations?CMP=ShHonestly we never had these problems before social media. Somebody posts a photo of a queue at the filling station how many people are going to think...... I'd better get down there quick if I want to get to work or wherever, and while I'm there I'd better fill the tank up just in case I can't get anymore. It was the same with toilet rolls, pasta and whatever else......... photos of empty supermarket shelves and what are people going to do? Obviously social media has many good aspects but seriously..............!!
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Post by WH241 on Sept 24, 2021 14:02:29 GMT
Not Bus related but now after the great Pasta and Flour and let's definitely not forget the Toilet Roll shortage of 2020 the same people are panic buying fuel 😂 you literally couldn't make it up , whatever the media seems to tell people they go and make it worst ,yes there is a tanker driver shortage but surely this would of been an ongoing problem ? , There needs to be a condom shortage and maybe the same people will panic buy and use those and stop this madness continuing down the generations . In all seriousness something has got to give this can't continue just makes you realise how important and undervalued drivers in all profession's have been up until now . www.theguardian.com/business/2021/sep/23/bp-rations-petrol-and-diesel-deliveries-to-its-service-stations?CMP=ShI can actually understand why people are panic buying because no matter what the government says it usually means the opposite. There is not a petrol shortage granted but without delivery drivers it amounts to the same thing. Something has got to give soon. My local Tesco has not had bottled water for weeks now again not a water shortage but a driver shortage where others goods are probably taking priority. This Christmas is looking as bleak as last year's lockdown one.
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Post by WH241 on Sept 24, 2021 14:14:03 GMT
Not Bus related but now after the great Pasta and Flour and let's definitely not forget the Toilet Roll shortage of 2020 the same people are panic buying fuel 😂 you literally couldn't make it up , whatever the media seems to tell people they go and make it worst ,yes there is a tanker driver shortage but surely this would of been an ongoing problem ? , There needs to be a condom shortage and maybe the same people will panic buy and use those and stop this madness continuing down the generations . In all seriousness something has got to give this can't continue just makes you realise how important and undervalued drivers in all profession's have been up until now . www.theguardian.com/business/2021/sep/23/bp-rations-petrol-and-diesel-deliveries-to-its-service-stations?CMP=ShHonestly we never had these problems before social media. Somebody posts a photo of a queue at the filling station how many people are going to think...... I'd better get down there quick if I want to get to work or wherever, and while I'm there I'd better fill the tank up just in case I can't get anymore. It was the same with toilet rolls, pasta and whatever else......... photos of empty supermarket shelves and what are people going to do? Obviously social media has many good aspects but seriously..............!! O please you can't honestly put all this on social media. Social media wasn't around in 2000 but still had mad panic buying during the fuel tanker strike. I know you won't like this but the government handling of the whole situation is a joke. They sit on things until its too late. They keep talking about bringing in the army to drive but not moved yet.
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